An unusual sight awaited commuters taking the K.R. Puram cable-stayed bridge on Wednesday — mixed waste dumped by the side of the road. They immediately informed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). It took nearly three hours for officials to clear the waste. BBMP’s joint commissioner for Mahadevapura zone Umanand Rai told The Hindu that the civic body has lodged a complaint with the K.R. Puram police about the indiscriminate dumping. Admitting that it was surprising to find garbage dumped on the bridge, he said that vigilance would be stepped up to prevent such incidents.Police are analysing CCTV footage to trace the vehicles that dumped the waste.
Subodh Yadav, Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), said that the timing and the spot where the garbage was dumped raises suspicion about mischief, especially since the Swachch Bharath survey is currently underway. “Usually, mixed waste is dumped surreptitiously in open areas where it cannot be detected easily.”
K.R. Puram MLA B.A. Basavaraj said that medical waste was also found. “We found some documents and hospital bills in the waste. The addresses were of areas coming under Banaswadi sub-division,” he said.
Two hotels shut, fined
On Wednesday, several hotels and commercial complexes, who were found to be dumping mixed waste or not handing segregated waste to empanelled contractors, in Gandhinagar ward were told to pay a fine of Rs. 1.5 lakh. Two hotels – Raghavendra Condiments and Karnataka Biryani Point – were closed for not maintaining hygiene and also fined Rs. 85,000, a communiqué added.
Health inspector suspended
A health inspector was suspended for dereliction of duty. The official was instructed to clear mounds of waste dumped across Peenya Industrial Area. However, when the official failed to do so, the Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) suspended him.
